


One Less Bird in the Nest

by PassibleLightning



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: Batfamily (DCU), Batfamily-centric (DCU), Big Brother Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne is Batman, Caring Batfamily (DCU), Damian Wayne Feels, Damian Wayne is Bad at Feelings, Damian Wayne is Robin, Dick Grayson Needs a Hug, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Dick Grayson is a Talon, Dick Grayson-centric, Hurt, Hurt Damian Wayne, Hurt Dick Grayson, Hurt Jason Todd, Hurt Tim Drake, Hurt/Comfort, I love the batfamily, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Jason Todd is Red Hood, Kidnapped Dick Grayson, Kidnapping, Mind Control, Protective Batfamily (DCU), Protective Damian Wayne, Protective Dick Grayson, Protective Jason Todd, Protective Tim Drake, Resurrected Jason Todd, Tim Drake is Red Robin, Worried Batfamily (DCU)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:34:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25385380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PassibleLightning/pseuds/PassibleLightning
Summary: Nightwing has been missing for a week. The entire Batfamily is running themselves ragged looking for him. But a chance encounter leads Jason, Tim, and Damian with a lead. Now it's up to the them to save their brother.Except they're not the only ones looking for Dick.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson & Jason Todd, Tim Drake & Dick Grayson & Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne & Damian Wayne, Tim Drake & Dick Grayson & Jason Todd & Damian Wayne
Comments: 30
Kudos: 528





	1. Missing

**Author's Note:**

> A suggestion by Ikuto_Kuro_Neko who suggested: Dick is transform in a Talon by Cobb and the Court, and Damian, Jason and the others will save him but Joker is also interested in the new Talon
> 
> I took the idea and ran with it! Especially since I to do some research as I haven't read much with Cobb in it. But very fun to learn more about him!

Dick had been missing for a week. One week of searching and scouring every corner of Gotham. One week of following any lead, shaking down any villain. One week of sleepless nights, skipped meals, and angry words. One week of the family going completely crazy. 

And somehow Jason had been there for the whole thing. He’d never spent so long around Bruce since his days as Robin. Normally he could stand Bruce for a couple hours at most. But this was different. This was Dick. Tim had called him almost immediately after Dick had gone missing. Jason had dropped everything and shown up at the mansion. Alfred had already made a room up for him and Jason hadn’t gone home since. 

A week of hell. A week of everyone falling apart.

Bruce had completely closed himself off. He spent his entire time as Batman. He didn’t eat. He didn’t sleep. In desperation he’d even met with Gordon once. But even he didn’t have any clues. Each day Bruce retreated more and more into himself. By the end of the week he’d stop talking to any of them. He spent every waking moment searching for Dick; doing whatever detective shit he did. 

Tim hadn’t moved from his spot at the computer in the Batcave for days; using every bit of his brain power to track down the slightest whiff of Dick. He watched everything from surveillance cameras to social media video, trying to catch a glimpse of Dick. 

Damian had been a powder keg of emotion. He screamed at someone every couple of hours. Jason had never seen the demon brat look more like a demon, wild eyed and baring his fangs. Damian had stopped attending school all together. Alfred had tried to drag him there after the third day. Saying rational things about how much school Damian had already missed that year. But Damian would just sneak out to roam the streets looking for Dick. Finally Alfred gave up and called the school, saying Damian had come down with a nasty flu and wouldn’t be in for a few days. Jason was pretty sure Damian would get sick at the pace he was pushing himself. He really was Bruce’s kid, at least judging from the way Damian handled stress. The kid was barely eating or sleeping. 

Jason for his part didn’t know what to do. He wasn’t some great detective, or brilliant wiz kid, and he wasn’t a trained assassin. At the end of the day, he was just the ex-robin with anger issues. Jason spent his days with Damian, scouring the streets. The nights he spent alone, reaching out to every contact he had, every seedy individual, every greasy lowlife that would still talk to him. None of them had even heard a whisper about a missing Nightwing. 

One week of the entire family running themselves ragged trying to find Dick and they had nothing to show for their work. All they knew was Dick had been patrolling the north part of Gotham. He’d checked in; nothing to report. And after that, silence. It was like Dick had just disappeared off the face of the world. His communicator had been destroyed and any homing beacon turned off. 

Finally, exactly one week after Dick had been taken, Jason broke. He couldn't take it anymore. He sat in his room. The moonlight cast strange shadows on the walls. Jason tried to focus on them. But his mind wouldn’t quiet. All he could think about was how Bruce hadn’t looked at him once all day. Jason shook his head but the image replacing it was Tim smashing another keyboard in anger that morning. Jason laid down on his bed with a sigh, willing the images to disappear. Finally, just as the images were fading, Jason heard something from the next room over. Damian was crying. Quietly. But Jason could hear. All at once it was too much for Jason. Everyone was trying to hide it, but Jason could see his makeshift family falling apart. So, he did the only thing Jason knew how to do. He left. 

He’d done it before; when he fought a little too hard with Bruce, when he called Tim a name that hit too close to home, when he teased Damian too cruelly. Jason had run but Dick had always found him. He’d calmed him down, smoothed things over with the family. But there was no Dick this time. So Jason put on his Red Hood costume, silently opened his window and climbed up to the roof. He stood there for a minute, breathing in the peaceful night air.

“Where do you think you’re going?” said a voice behind him. Jason let out an audible groan, turning around. Both Damian and Tim were standing on the edge of the roof. Both dressed in their costumes and both looked pissed. 

“Out.” Jason spit out. He didn’t have time for this. Tim picked up on the hint of urgency in Jason’s voice. 

“Did you find something?” Tim asked. The hope in Tim’s voice made Jason cringe. 

“No.” said Jason. Both Tim and Damian’s faces fell. 

“Then what are you doing?” said Damian, accusingly. 

“I needed some fresh air. That’s all.” said Jason.

“Liar.” spat Damian. “You were running.” Tim’s eyes grew wide with realization.

“Todd.” said Tim, aghast. Jason fidgeted; his escape was not going as planned. And standing beneath the glowering stares of his brother, whatever nerve he’d worked up to leave seemed far away now. 

“So, what, your plan was to leave in the middle of the night? Are you trying to give Bruce a heart attack? What if we thought you were taken too? Do you want us to spend our valuable time looking for  _ you  _ instead of Dick? What if we  _ needed  _ you?” Tim was ranting, anger boiling over. His face was turning red. 

Jason huffed. He knew Tim was right. The kid was the smartest of the bunch. Jason just didn’t like hearing it. 

“I was going to come back.” Jason said quietly. “I just couldn’t-”

“We miss him too!” shouted Tim, tears pricking his eyes. 

“I know that.” said Jason. 

“Do you think I  _ want  _ to be in this situation? Do you think I don’t want to run away from all this shit happening too? I am losing my mind here Todd! And now I have to worry about you sneaking out and I-” Damian put a hand on Tim’s shoulder, quieting him. 

“What Drake is trying to say so melodramatically is, if you are going out, we are coming with you.” said Damian flatly. Jason rolled his eyes. He wanted to be alone. That had been the whole point. But staring at the faces of his brothers, so tired and filled with fear, Jason felt his heart give an unusual pang of guilt. Jason groaned. 

“Fine. You can tag along. If it’ll make you feel better. Or whatever.” grumbled Jason. Tim seemed to visibly relax.

“Good. I’ve already left Bruce a note.” said Tim. 

…

The three ended up on a rooftop in a seedy part of Gotham. They’d tried to do some patrolling, but none of them really had the heart. So they’d stopped. Still, Jason was already feeling a bit better. The cool night air was helping him think clearer; the oppressive emotions of the Manor pushed away. The fresh air was not helping his brothers, though. Tim had taken to pacing at the edge of the roof while biting his nails furiously. He kept glancing down to the street below every few seconds, as if he thought Dick was just going to go come strolling into view. Damian had found the darkest corner and curled in on himself. 

Jason tried to block them out and focused on collecting his thoughts. 

“What if Dick’s just… gone.” Damian said suddenly. His voice cut through the air like a knife. 

“He can’t disappear. We’ll find him.” said Jason. Damian scowled at Jason. 

“He  _ can  _ disappear. I’ve seen it done it to others.  _ I’ve  _ done it before.” growled Damian. 

“We’ve ruled out The League of Assassins already.” said Tim shortly, not breaking stride.

“Not every assassin works for The League.” scoffed Damian. 

“We’ll find Dick. He’s gotta be here somewhere.” said Jason.

“Not if he’s at the bottom of the bay… or been shipped off somewhere remote… or underground… or…”

“Stop it.” hissed Tim, cutting Damian off roughly. 

“I’m just saying…” muttered Damian, curling in on himself more. 

“Well don’t.” shouted Jason. “No one needs to hear that depressing shit.” 

“I… sorry.” mumbled Damian. He looked away, his face scrunched up with hurt. Jason silently cursed himself. He knew he shouldn’t have been so harsh with Damian. Jason should have said something compassionate, something to console Damian or given him hope. Dick would have said the right thing. But Jason wasn’t good at any of this. Being supportive. Being a brother. That had always been Dick’s territory. No matter how much time Todd put between him and his death, no matter how many times Dick told him that he was still his brother; Jason felt like an outsider. Bruce, Dick, Tim, Damian, hell even Alfred and Barbra, they were a family. Jason had missed it all. He’d missed meeting Tim, training with Damian, patrolling with Barbra. Jason was just an uncomfortable observer. A painful reminder or cautionary tail to everyone. Without Dick, that feeling was ever stronger. 

Sometimes, Jason would imagine what would have happened if Bruce had been just a little faster. If he hadn’t died. Would he have found Tim’s discovery of Bruce’s identity charming? Would he have accepted the new Robin? Who would Jason be without the burning resentment of being replaced? Would he have still been living at the Manor when Damian came? The two were more alike than he cared to admit. Would they have been friends? Would he have been the kids mentor instead of Dick? Would Alfred worry less? Would Bruce smile more? Would Jason have been part of the family? There again, was that painful tug of his heart. 

“Damian… I’m not... Fuck…” Jason sat down next to Damian, who turned away. 

“It doesn’t matter how long it takes. We’ll find him.” said Jason. 

“You don’t  _ know  _ that.” said Damian, quietly. 

“I do.” 

“You don’t.” bit back Damian. Jason sighed. 

“You know, when I was… when Joker had me. I was so sure Batman was going to save me. But at the very end… all I wanted was to see Dick. I wanted my big brother to rescue me. He’d done it before. Shown up at the nick of time. I know Dick’s probably wanting that same thing now. To see us. For us to rescue him. And which of us has ever been able to say no to Dick? But for us to save him, we can’t give up on Dick. We have to… I don’t know… believe he can survive till we find him… that he’ll be okay.” said Jason. He wasn’t sure where the words came from. The honest truth just seemed to pour out of him. It made him recoil how easy it had been to tell Damian. He hadn’t even told Dick that. 

Damian turned to him. There was still fear in his face. But there were traces of hope there too. 

“Todd…” Damian started. 

“Is that Harley?” said Tim suddenly. 

“What?” said Jason. 

“I think that’s… Harley Quinn.” said Tim. Jason stood up and walked over. Tim was looking down to the street below.

“Are you sure?” asked Damian as he hurried to Tim’s side. 

“There!” hissed Tim, pointing. Jason saw them this time, two figures, arms linked, walking briskly. They passed under the heavy glow of a street lamp. There was no mistaking them, even from this distance. Harley and Poison Ivy. Both were dressed to the nine in long sequined gowns, with their hair twisted up festivaly. Jason could hear their laughter floating up to them. 

“Where are those two going at this hour?” muttered Jason.

“Nowhere good.” said Damian. 

“Should we follow them?” asked Tim.

“Of course.” growled Jason. “You see two of Gotham’s most dangerous villains walking around dressed like they're going someplace fancy. Tim you’re the genius, what does that add up to?”

“I’d say... it adds up to… something. What that something is, I'm not sure yet. But it's our best lead we’ve had in days.”

“Fuck.” hissed Damian. “We are seriously screwed if this is what it's come to for us finding Dick.”

"A leads a lead. I don't care if it comes from a goddamn fortune teller. We’re following them." glowered Jason. Tim and Damian nodded and followed Jason as he swung towards the two ladies.

...

They tracked Harley and Ivy across Gotham until the two stopped at a small building. It could have been an old church or a run down nightclub. Jason didn't care enough to give it more thought than that, because standing at the front door was Killer Shark with a clipboard. The oversized humanoid shark said something to Harley, who laughed loudly and slapped him on the back. Killer Shark handed something to Harley and Ivy, then crossed something off on his clipboard and ushered the two ladies inside.

"This is getting weirder and weirder." whispered Tim. "What is Killer Shark doing here as well?"

More movement caught Jason's eye.

"Wait… is that the Riddler?" Jason gasped.

"Of course it is. Who else wears green with purple question marks." growled Damian, rolling his eyes.

"Last I heard he and Harley were at odds. Disagreement about a joke or some nonsense." muttered Tim. "What are four villains, two of which can't stand each other, doing together?"

"This can't be a coincidence." Jason said. He gripped the side of the building so hard his knuckles were turning white.

"It has to be Dick. It has to be." whispered Damian. The kids' eyes were brighter than they’d been in days. Jason felt like he'd been submerged in ice water. Every nerve was on edge. Panic and hope pumped through him in a dizzying concoction. 

“If it is Dick. We need to get in there.” said Jason.    
  


“We should radio Bruce.” said Tim.

“I don’t care if you do. But I’m not waiting for him to show up. If this has  _ any  _ connection to Dick, we could lose our change sitting here till Bruce gets here.” growled Jason. 

“I agree.” said Damian, his face determined. 

“Fine. I’ll send him a message but we go now” signed Tim. 

“Let’s do this.” said Jason as the three swung towards the building. 


	2. Lost

Most people saw Gotham's rundown buildings as something that needed to be fixed. They were ugly, unstable, and prone to squatters. Countless city council meetings were dedicated to what hovel could be bulldozed to create a shiny skyscraper. Jason might have been one of the few people in Gotham that didn’t despise the collapsing buildings. For one thing, they almost all had a skylight and that skylight was most likely broken in some place. And if there wasn’t, then there was bound to be a rotting roof or a hole in the wall. All that made breaking into said run down building incredibly easy. Breaking into skyscrapers downtown always was more headache than it was worth. Breaking into abandoned warehouses was easy. 

Jason found this building’s hole in the roof within seconds. It’s big and rotting and smells like mold. Jason didn’t give it a second thought as he slipped inside. Damian and Tim followed wordlessly. The three dropped down into the rafters, huddling in the darkness. It was your average abandoned warehouse, consisting of one main room with a few scattered doors on the outskirts. The whole thing was filled with a collection of dust and cobwebs. The scene below them was not an unfamiliar sight. But normally every one of Gotham’s super villains wouldn’t be squeezed inside. Killer Croc and Mr. Freeze had planted themselves in the back and were doing their best to ignore Riddler and Mad Hatter in front of them. In the front, Harley and Poison Ivy were sitting next to Penguin. Cobblepot looked angry and kept throwing dirty looks at Joker who had seated himself on the other side of the room. Joker was doing his best to ignore Penguin, instead having an intense conversation with Two Face. Each one of them was holding a paddle with a number painted on. Joker flipped his over, admiring it. 

Jason felt his blood go cold, the way it always did when Jason saw the Joker. Even after Jason had put so many years behind him, the sight of Joker still stirred up old memories. Jason shook his head slightly, trying to clear it. He forced himself to look away from Joker, from the villains in general. In front of the seats, a large stage had been constructed. Someone was standing in the center of it. But from his current angle, Jason couldn’t see who it was. Whoever it was clapped their hands loudly and immediately the room fell silent. 

“I can’t hear anything.” whispered Tim. 

“We need to get closer.” hissed Damian. 

“Fine.” said Jason. “Just keep your distance, alright? We’re no use to Dick if we get caught by this lot.” The three crept further down into the rafters. They positioned themselves into the thick blanket of shadows and watched. 

From this angle, Jason could see who was talking and he could hear him too. 

William Cobb, wearing the smug look that never left his face. 

The knot of worry suddenly grew in Jason’s stomach. He felt his grip on the beam tighten. Cobb made Jason nervous in a way that only Joker could top. Cobb was smart, ruthless, and had too much of a fascination with bats for Jason’s liking. They were lucky it was so rare for Cobb to rear his head. Fighting Cobb felt like arguing with a drunk uncle at Thanksgiving; inappropriate and overwhelming at the same time. Jason avoided it whenever possible. All of them did. Most of the rest of the villains had pretty straight forward motivations; money, drugs, chaos, the environment. But Cobb, Jason couldn’t really figure out what Cobb wanted, other than control. The worst thing about Cobb was the man’s utter fascination, or depending on who you asked, obsession with Dick. 

Damian and Tim must have felt the same; both boys had gone deathly pale behind their masks. 

“Thank you everyone for attending this little gathering of mine.” Cobb’s voice rang out cold and loud. “I’m sure you’re all eagerly waiting to see what you’ll be bidding on tonight. But you all know the quality of what I sell and I assure you tonight is no different. The prize is worth the wait.” Cobb snapped his fingers. 

Jason knew what was about to happen. The pieces were falling together too perfectly to be anything but. Still, Jason felt his whole body go cold as two of Cobb’s assassins walked out from behind the stage. Between then was Dick. They gripped Dick tightly by the arms as they led him onto the stage. Dick limped slightly as he went. 

Tim gasped silently. 

“Dick!” Damian said in a whisper. But Jason barely heard it; as at that exact moment, the rest of the room also caught sight of the Boy Wonder. The entire room erupted into noise. Harley was screaming and shaking Ivy, Killer Croc made a weird excited hissing sound, and Joker was cackling so hard his face was turning slightly less pale.

With a quiet roar, Damian lunged forward. Jason caught him round the middle and pulled him back. He held Damian tight against him, as Damian fought to get away. 

“Not yet.” hiss Jason. Damian scowled at him and fought harder. 

“There are too many of them. If we go now, Dick’s the only one getting hurt.” hurried Jason. Damian hesitated for a moment, before he stopped struggling. 

“Jay. He’s in pretty bad shape.” said Tim. Jason glanced back at Dick down below. They’d led him to Cobb’s side and into the light. The week of abuse was etched onto Dick. His face was a mess of bruises, all varying shades of blacks, greens, and purples. He had a split lip that looked like it was beginning to scab over. There was a large gash on Dick’s temple, right above his swollen eye. Dick held his left arm slightly awkwardly, obviously injured. 

Most disconcerting of all; they’d dressed Dick as a Talon. Thankfully, they had left his Nightwing mask on. Jason felt himself sigh slightly with relief. At least Dick’s identity was safe for now. But beyond that, Dick looked pretty out of it. He wasn’t fighting back or making any witty remarks. He just swayed slightly at Cobb’s side. 

“Now?” demanded Damian, still secure in Jason’s arms. Jason silently shook his head. 

“He is injured. Hood.” continued Damian. 

“I can see that.” said Jason, coldly. “My point still stands. We wait till an opening.” Damian scowled harder but made no more moves towards Dick. Jason kept his hold on him, just in case. 

“Gentlemen, gentlemen, and ladies; quiet please.” said Cobb raising his hands for silence. The noise immediately died down.Cobb smiled.

“I don’t think I have to make any introductions here. I’m sure you are all well acquainted with our good friend Nightwing here. But I think you’ll find a few things have changed since you last saw him.” 

“Oh no…” whispered Tim. 

“I have been testing some new… well I hate to throw around the word brainwashing. So let's just say, persuasion techniques on our little friend here.” Cobb gave Dick a hard pat on the back. 

“Fuck…” hissed Jason. Dick whammied, that would definitely complicated things considerably. Dick had been controlled in the past. It never ended well for anyone. Jason loathed to admit it, but Dick was arguably the best fighter of them all. Sure, Jason could hold his own against him in Dick’s normal mindset; but an uninhibited Nightwing was always a challenge to take down. 

“It was tough going. I have to admit. A lot of long nights went into this. But now, I think we’ve got a fine Talon here.” continued Cobb. “He’s completely obedient to me and by extension my associates. But I’d like to be sure; double check really, before I use Nightwing in a little plan I’ve got. And what better way to test our new assassin than to have him work for his sworn enemies? So, the prize, Nightwing for one night. Have him rob a bank for you, steal files from the GCPD, hell try and kill Batman if you’re feeling so bold.” Cobb grabbed Dick by the chin and shook his head around. Dick didn’t seem to register, just continued to sway.

“Should we start bidding at $100,000? ” said Cobb slyly. Paddles flew up into the air. The room erupted in frenzied screams as the bidding started. 

Jason felt like he was going to be sick. He couldn’t think of a worse situation to find Nightwing in. Taken for a week. Most likely tortured by Cobb for the majority of it. Surrounded on all sides by Gotham’s most wanted. It would have been dire without Dick under Cobb’s sway. As it stood, the knot of worry in Jason’s stomach only grew. 

Neither Tim or Damian looked any better. Tim had turned a nasty shade of green. He looked as if at any moment he was either going to throw up or start crying. Damian radiated rage. It was rolling off him like a sweltering heat wave. Jason could feel him vibrating with anger. 

“Tim. Send a message to Bats.” said Jason. Tim shook his head. 

“I’ve been trying. They’re blocking communications.” Jason swore. 

“Then get out of here. We need to get Bats here fast.” said Jason. Tim scowled. 

“You do it. There’s no way I’m leaving.” 

“Well one of us has to tell Bats.” hissed Jason.

“I am not taking my eyes off Grayson.” said Damian, definitely. Jason huffed. 

“Tim. We are going to need backup. Okay? He needs to get here now.” Tim hesitated for a split second, then nodded. 

“Sold!” shouted Cobb. Tim froze, mid turn to leave. Jason snapped back to the present. The bidding had lasted moments. Jason cursed at himself silently for not having paid attention. Cobblepot was shaking his head and fists full of money angrily at Cobb. Riddler seemed to be almost in tears over his loss. And Bane was making threatening statements at anyone who would listen. The only person not upset was Joker. He stood proudly in front of the stage. His face crackling into a wide grin as he laughed hysterically. It was Joker’s cold laugh. Tight and high pitched and dripping with danger. Jason felt himself flinch. That had been one of the last sounds he’d heard before he’d died. It was the sound that still plagued his nightmare and woke him in the middle of the night. 

Evidently the laugh had a similar effect on the villains of Gotham as it did to Jason. Instantly the room went quiet. Joker hopped onto the stage and turned to the crowd. 

“Thank you all for being such gracious losers. But now, I fear it is time for you to bid yourselves goodnight. Cobb and I have things to discuss. Shoo.” 

There was barely any resistance from the crowd. Slowly, one by one, they all got up and began moving to the exit.

“ _ Now?”  _ begged Damian with wide fearful eyes.

“We can’t let Joker get away with him.” murmured Tim. 

“We won’t.” said Jason. “We’re getting Dick back. Just... wait till the crowd’s all gone. Tim go now.” said Jason. But Tim didn’t register that he’d heard him, his eyes were locked on Dick. Jason sighed. 

Joker stalked closer to Dick. He reached out, almost hesitantly, before placing it on Dick’s head and giving his hair a playful toss. Dick didn’t respond. His head bobbed around wherever Joker pushed it. It made Jason’s skin crawl just looking at it. 

“Well Cobb. I’ve got to admit. It looks like you’ve got him trained well.” cackled Joker. 

“It’s appreciated. Now I only have a few ground rules here.” Cobb said. Joker frowned, but nodded for him to continue. 

“Don’t try and take off the mask. I need his identity intact for my plans. And you can’t kill him. I need him back here by midnight tomorrow night in roughly the same shape as he is now. A few broken bones or the like is fine. But he should be breathing.” 

“Pity.” said Joker. “It looks like you’ve already done a number to him. But I’d have liked to get in a few hits myself.”

Damian let out a quiet frustrated whine. 

“Alright Cobby. The money is being wired as we speak.” said Joker. Cobb gave a thin smile. He leaned over to Dick and whispered something in his ear, before nodding to Joker.

Joker cleared his throat. 

“Nightwing… do a handstand.” said Joker. Immediately Dick bent down and pushed himself into a near perfect handstand. Joker clapped his hands together in giddy glee. 

“Cobb I don’t say this often but I’m a bit impressed. I’ve tried breaking a Robin or two in the past but whatever you’ve done seems to have done the trick.” said Joker. Cobb smiled again. 

“I’ve had some practice.” said Cobb. Joker nodded, knowingly. 

“Well.. right then. We better be off. You can stand up now.” Joker said to Nigtwing. Dick almost immediately dropped out of the handstand. “Good lad. Now come along.” Joker took a few steps towards the door, Dick followed. Suddenly. Joker stopped. 

“Hold on a moment.” said Joker slyly. “How do I know the boy really has been tamed? I mean, I could walk out of here thinking I’ve got the Boy Blunder until WHAMY! He and Batman have me back in Arkham before I can deliver a punchline.”

Cobb nodded his head understandingly. “Of course, a demonstration is in order. Besides, it would be rude to leave you without a bit of entertainment.” 

“And what better test run than having Nightwing fight his own  _ brothers _ in arms.” Cobb snapped his fingers.

Jason didn’t have a chance to let those words sink in. Immediately Jason was blinded. Bright stage lights shone directly up and into his eyes. He heard Tim give a shout of pain and Damian curled towards him, away from the light. At the same time, he felt the beams underneath him shift and give way. The three of them gave a shout as they tumbled towards the ground. Instinctively, Jason curled around Damian, tucking him against his chest. 

Jason felt his shoulder connect painfully with the ground and he muffled a scream. Damian landed on top of him. He could hear Tim land with a crash next to him. Training kicked in and within an instant, all three of them were on their feet, bruised and a bit confused, but mostly fine. 

Cobb and Joker stood in front of them, smiling eerily. 

Dick was behind them, standing rigidly still. His arms hung limply at his sides. It was an unnatural look on Dick. Too tight and too loose at the same time; like a puppet with it’s strings pulled tight. But that wasn’t what made Jason’s breath catch. That was Dick’s face. It was completely blank. His eyes were half lidded and glassy. Dick’s mouth was slightly open in a neutral frown. Everything read as cold and reserved. It made Jason’s skin crawl. Jason was used to Dick being filled with energy and light. Even when he was standing still, Dick would still radiate warmth. Dick was easy smiles, bright eyes, deep thinking frowns, and too loud laughs. Not… this empty person. 

Dick blinked slowly at Jason, showing no signs of recognizing his brother. 

“Oh Nightwing.” said Joker in a cold sing-song voice. 

“Kill them.” 


	3. Hurt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man... Sorry this chapter too so long. It was hard to write. I had so many grand plans for it. But writing fight scenes are really tough! Hopefully you guys like it! 
> 
> Let me know what you think!

At Joker’s command Dick snapped to attention. His almost drunkenly swaying movements stopped. 

Jason jumped to his feet, pulling Damian up as he went. Behind him Jason could hear Tim shuffling up as well.

Dick held out his hand, expectantly. Joked took out a long knife and pressed it into Dick’s palm. The moment the metal was in his grip Dick attacked. He sprung to life, leaping across the stage. In a moment he was upon them. The knife was raised and pointed directly at Jason’s heart.

Jason knew the movements. He’d trained with Dick for hours for this exact situation. But the way Dick moved… The way he held the knife… Jason had seen them a hundred times. They were Dick’s own. But Dick’s face was still pale and emotionless as he lunged closer. Jason felt himself freeze up. A fear he didn’t know he still possessed flared. 

“Hood!” shouted Tim in warning. Still Jason didn’t move; immobilized by Dick’s vacant stare. Jason knew he should dodge, or grab the knife, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so. He’d fought people who were being controlled before. Hell, he’d fought Dick a few times like that. But somehow those times had been different. There had always been something behind the control; fear, rage, hurt. Something to push the person into attacking. But there was nothing there, no underlying emotion. Dick was just a husk, a marionette with his strings being pulled. It made Jason’s stomach churn and his mind go static.

The knife was inches away from Jason’s face when Tim tackled Jason to the ground. Damian pushed himself in front of the two and defected Dick’s blow.

Tim landed on top of Jason hard. Joker laughed hysterically somewhere far off. 

“SNAP OUT OF IT HOOD!” shouted Tim, shaking Jason hard. 

“Tim… he’s…” muttered Jason. Tim shook him harder. 

“I see it. We’ll get him back to the cave and we’ll fix him. But you need to focus.” Jason nodded quickly. 

“Okay I-” Jason was cut off as Damian shouted. Jason and Tim’s attention snapped back to the situation. Damian was barely able to dodge the knife Dick was swinging too close to the boy's throat. 

“Restrain him or knock him the hell out!” shouted Tim, pulling out his staff. 

“Right.” said Jason, getting to his feet. The two advanced. Jason got in front of Damian, focusing Dick’s attention on him. Dick did just that; barreling forwards. Dick punched and Jason felt it connect solidly with his cheek. Jason reeled back but Dick didn’t let up; Jason barely dodged the flying kick Dick sent his way. 

“Shit!” shouted Jason, stumbling back. Tim and Damian immediately took his place. The two fought together, dodging nimbly out of Dick’s reach. 

Jason shook his head and jumped back into the fray.

Dick had been at this a lot longer than any of them. He was the best of the best. Even with all their training, they could barely keep up. Jason felt every punch and kick connect painfully. But oddly, the knife, still held tight in his grip, never did. Jason didn’t have time to think though that. Even without the knife, Dick was fighting to kill. 

Dick grabbed onto Jason by his collar and threw him hard. Jason skidded away. He lay there on the ground for a moment, stunned, till he finally pushed himself up. Jason wasn’t sure what to do; Dick wasn’t holding anything back. Dick slashed the knife inches away from Tim’s throat. Unconsciously, Jason’s hand itched towards his gun. Damian saw out of the corner of his eye. 

“HOOD DON’T!” shouted Damian. Jason’s hand flinched away. Damian’s eyes burned hot with anger. 

“I wasn’t.” Jason tied, scampering to his feet. But the momentary distraction was all Dick needed. Dick pounced, making Jason stumble back. Dick flicked the blade around and rammed the butt into Jason’s temple. Jason’s world exploded in light and agony. 

“Hood!” yelled Tim. Or, at least, that’s what Jason thought he heard. Everything sounded murky and far away. He felt himself falling back but he managed to catch himself, only stumbling. But everything was still spinning and all too bright. Finally, Jason is able to blink the stars away. 

Damian was now too on the ground, cradling his left arm. Jason wasn’t sure when that had happened. Tim was leading Dick away from his two injured companions, whacking at Dick’s knife; attempting to disarm Dick at all costs. Dick closed the gap between the two. The hand not holding his knife shot out and grabbed Tim’s neck and Dick slammed his head into Tim. Tim crumpled slightly. Dick hefted Tim up and threw. Tim went flying. He hit the ground hard with a crunch. He didn’t get back up. 

“RED!” shouted Jason. Dick advanced on the unconscious Tim. 

“No!” shouted Damian. He jumped on Dick’s back and pulled him away from Tim. Dick reached up and yanked Damian off. Damian gave a yelp as Dick shoved him against a beam. 

Everyone froze. Joker’s face is contorted in silent delight. Cobb looked on in mild fascination. Both their eyes were staring at the scene greedily. Dick had Damian pinned up against a beam and he had his knife pressed against Damian’s neck. A thin line of blood was tricked down Damian's’ throat. But the knife was shaking slightly. Damian was staring at Dick with pleading eyes. Neither of them moved. Jason edged forward then slowly. 

“Dick please.” whispered Damian so quietly Jason could barely hear. The knife shook more. 

“Hey Dick. Can you look at me for a second?” whispered Jason, making sure his voice wouldn’t carry to the villains. Dick didn’t move but he glanced towards Jason. For just a brief second Dick’s eyes looked pained, torn. Then they glossed over again. But Jason had seen it. 

“You don’t want to do this Dickiebird.” said Jason. “You don’t want to hurt him.” 

“Dick… brother… please.” whispered Damian. Damian looks scared. Jason tried hard not to focus on that. Dick hoisted Damian up higher, pressed the knife just a little tighter. 

“Come on Dick. We want to help. Just let him go.” hissed Jason. Dick started blinking faster. 

“Dick. This is Damian. _Damian_. You’re little brother. Your family. You’d never hurt him.” Dick made a small gasping sound and scrunched his face up in pain. 

“Dick…” wheezed Damian. Damian was starting to look more faint. He was gasping quickly for breath. 

“I…” said Dick in a cracked voice. He drew the knife back ever so slightly. 

“There you go. There's my brother.”

Jason stepped closer. Dick squeezed his eyes in pain. Jason took the opportunity to carefully put his hand on the handle of the blade. Dick didn’t fight him as Jason took the knife away. 

“Jay…?” mumbled Dick. He glanced at Jason and his eyes were a bit more clear, less glassy. Dick released his hold on Damian, who collapsed to the floor. Dick began to sway and held his head in pain. Jason let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. 

Nearby somebody laughed, a high pitched screaming laugh. 

Then, suddenly, Jason’s head exploded in pain once again. He felt himself fall to the ground. The cackling sound was all around him. 

Bleached white hands closed around his throat and squeezed.

“Well well _well._ I should have known you birds wouldn’t play fair.” The Joker was on top of him. His putrid breath hot on Jason’s face. 

“Nightwing. Do not move. I want you to watch as I kill him. Again.” cackled Joker. Dick shook slightly as his body was forced into a rigid position, Joker’s control taking over once again. 

Jason tried to pry him off. But he was tired and The Joker’s grip was strong. Jason had given everything he had fighting Dick. He didn’t have any strength left. Jason couldn’t breath. Joker laughed again, little speaks of spittle landing on Jason’s face. 

“Nightwing _please_!” cried Jason. Joker squeezed tighter. He was laughing harder and harder. It was all Jason could hear. 

Jason tried to look for his brothers, but black spots were dancing in front of his eyes. He couldn’t see. He couldn’t think. Panic was screaming through every inch of him. This was his nightmare. Dying with Joker’s laugh the last thing he’d hear, again. 

Finally, Jason found Dick’s face. He was standing still. But his eyes were frantic, filled with fear. A few stray tears rolled down his cheek. 

“I d-on’t...di...” Jason trailed off with his last breath. 

Jason felt his hands fall away, finally too weak to keep fighting. Jason kept his eye locked on Dick. If Joker was going to kill him again, at least the last face he’d see wouldn't be Jokers again, it would be Dick’s. 

Dick’s whole body began trembling as he stared at the scene before him. His fingers twitched slightly. 

Jason couldn’t breath. He couldn’t think. Everything was becoming so far away and fuzzy. 

Jason let his eyes close. 

“NO!” Dick screamed. Dick’s voice sounded like he was in a different world. 

“You are _not_ killing my brother again!” shouted Dick. But it was too far away to reach Jason. The words meant nothing to him. All that mattered was Dick's face. If he held onto that he'd be okay. But Dick's face was gone. Jason looked harder but he couldn't find it. Jason felt himself panic. He wanted to see Dick one last time.

Then, suddenly, the hands were gone. And Jason could breathe again. 

Jason gasped, glorious oxygen finally hitting his brain. He coughed hard. Jason blinked the darkness away and breathed deep sweet air. When his breath was finally under control, Jason looked over. Joker lay next to him, knocked out. Dick stood above him, protectively. He was breathing heavy and his hands were covered in Joker’s blood. 

“Dick?” murmured Jason. Dick looked down at him. His eyes were clear and sharp. Their normal piercing blue. 

“J-Jason?” gasped Dick. Jason’s face cracked into a wide smile. Dick smiled back, tentatively but it quickly turned to pain. Dick gripped his head and moaned. 

“I'm sorry... I can’t… I… I” Dick stopped. His eyes rolled back into his head and Dick collapsed. With a shout, Jason sprang up and barely managed to catch him before his head smacked against the ground. He was completely limp in Jason’s arms. Jason gathered him up close. Dick was still breathing; it was sharp and painful. But he was alive. Alive and fighting. 

From behind him, someone signed. Jason whipped around. Cobb was walking slowly towards him. 

“Well… this little experiment has been a failure.” Cobb shook his head disappointingly. He clicked his tongue. 

“We’ll just have to try harder next time.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As per usual the final chapter takes the longest to write and I'm never happy with it.   
> Thank you everyone who waited patiently!   
> You're kudos and comments have meant the world to me!

Jason had never been so grateful for Batman’s training. Jason hadn’t listened to anything Cobb said. Instead he’d instantly gathered Dick up in his arms and bolted. Out of the corner of his eye, Jason saw Tim and Damian get up and follow him. Jason knew Cobb and his men were following them. He didn’t care. He sprinted deeper into the warehouse.

“Hood. What’s the plan?” gasped Tim. Jason shook his head. 

“No plan. Just run.” 

“That’s it!?” shouted Damian. 

“Hey! I’m carrying sleeping beauty here! Why don’t one of you two come up with a fucking plan!” 

“Right! This way.” shouted Tim, grabbing Jason by the bicep and dragging him into the nearest open door. They entered a large but cramped room, filled with old crates. Tim darted behind one and Jason followed suit. Tim helped Jason lower Dick onto the ground. Dick lay there, pale and unmoving. Besides the slight up and down of his chest; Jason could have thought Dick was dead. 

Damian pushed past Jason. He crouched next to Dick and started fussing; checking Dick for injuries, changing his position so he’d be more comfortable. Finally he settled next to him, picking up his hand gently and holding it tight. 

Jason took the moment to take stalk of the others. Damian looked to be in okay shape. Dick, to no one's surprise, had gone the easiest on him. All Jason could see was a split lip. Tim had taken the brunt of the attack. He was holding his left arm in an awkward angle, he was covered in bruises and had an impressive black eye. But they were both alive and in at least marginal fighting condition. 

“Okay Timmy. What’s the plan then?” hissed Jason. 

“You two stay here. I’ll go for help. I’ll get out of range of whatever’s blocking our communication and call Batman.” Jason frowned. 

“That’s a bad plan.” 

“No it’s not. We  _ need  _ backup.”

“Tim you’re busted up. How long do you think you’d last alone out there against Cobb and his weird freaky assassins?” said Jason. 

“Todd has a point Drake.” Damian cut in. He looked up from hovering over Dick. “You’re in no condition to do anything other than get caught.”

Tim opened his mouth as if to say something, but whatever it was died in his throat as Dick made a quiet moan. The three moved over to Dick’s side. 

“Dick? Hey you with us?” Jason said, tapping Dick’s cheek lightly. Dick scrunched his nose slightly, but didn’t wake up. Jason paused for a moment, then placed his hand on Dick’s forhead. 

“Fuck.” Jason swore. 

“What?” Tim asked. 

“He’s burning up. Like really burning up.” Tim’s hand replaced Jason’s on Dick’s forehead. Tim swore too. Dick’s face had turned a frightening shade of red. Beads of sweat had appeared on Dick’s brow. His eyes darted fretfully behind his closed eyelids. 

“What’s wrong with him?” Damian couldn’t keep the anxiety out of his voice. 

“I don’t know.” said Jason. “I was hoping he’d just wake up, maybe with a headache. That’s usually what happens, right? I don’t know what  _ this  _ is.” 

“I think we can categorize it as not good. We need to get him out of here.” said Tim. “My plan still stands. I’ll get help.” 

“No let me. I’ll go.” said Damian, although the thought of leaving Dick looked like it caused him physical pain.

“Just because you were raised by assassins doesn’t mean anything!” hissed Tim. 

“I just do not want to rescue  _ you _ on top of saving Grayson.” growled Damian. 

“Both of you. Keep your voices down.” whispered Jason. “We’re trying  _ not  _ to alert the team of highly trained assassins where we are, remember?”

“Jason, just tell him I should go.” grumbled Tim. 

“Oh! So you’re just assuming Todd will agree with you?” 

“I  _ know  _ he’ll agree with me.”

“Alright, look.” grumbled Jason. “You both go. I’ll watch Dick.” 

“What! I don’t need  _ his  _ help.” hissed Damian. Jason shot him a dark look.

“I don’t care. We need to get Dick out of here now. You two go together. Watch each other’s back. Call Bats and get your asses back here. You’re both injured and tired. You’ll stand a better chance of making it out of here together.”

“Well then why don’t you go?” grumbled Damian.

Jason huffed. 

“Because, we need someone in fighting condition here if Cobb finds Dick.” 

“I can protect Dick just as well as you can.” growled Damian. 

“Then because I’m your older brother and I say so. Oldest wins.” said Jason.

“Technically Dick’s the oldest so…” said Tim.

“Well Dick’s fucking unconscious!”

“I know that but-” said Tim.

“I am not losing another brother to Cobb!” Jason practically shouted. Quickly he shut his mouth. Partly because he feared Cobb had heard; and partly embarrassed about how much he’d revealed.

“Jason what?” asked Tim.

“Staying behind with Dick is the most dangerous role.” said Damian. “Protecting someone while fighting is always difficult.”

“Jason…” said Tim, his voice softening slightly.

“That’s… not.. Fuck off!” hissed Jason. 

Tim and Damian shared a tense look. 

“Fine.” said Damian. “I will go with Drake.” Tim nodded in agreement. 

“Just… stay safe. Both of you.” Tim said, glancing fearfully down at Dick. Jason nodded. 

“You too.” 

Damian gave Dick’s hand one last squeeze. “We will come back with help.” he said to Dick. And with that, Tim and Damian darted away, slipping through the door and disappeared. 

Jason tried to take a calming breath, his anxiety spiking. They’d be okay. They’d come back. They had to. Jason wasn’t sure how he’d survive another brother being hurt on his watch. Jason chuckled darkly to himself. When had he started thinking of  _ them _ as brothers? When had he started worrying if they were safe? 

Dick gave a small moan of pain and the sound dragged Jason out of his tumbling thoughts. 

“Shhh.” said Jason, trying to quiet Dick. Dick just groaned again louder. 

“You gotta be quiet.” said Jason. He could hear footsteps outside their door. They were still looking for them. Dick made another pained noise and the footsteps stopped. 

“Did you hear that?” A harsh voice behind the door said. Reflexively, Jason leapt onto Dick, covering his mouth with his hand. Dick tried to make another sound but it was muffled. The door to their hideout opened slowly and a flashlight darted around. Jason tried to shrink him and Dick down more. Jason could feel his heartbeat in his throat. The light passed harmlessly by as the crates they hid behind obscured them from view. 

“No one’s here. Keep looking.” said another strained voice. The light left and the door closed. Jason let out a silent sigh of relief and removed his hand. 

“J-ay.” 

Jason glanced down. Dick’s eyes were open slightly. 

“Dick!” Jason felt himself smiling. “Hey, how’re you feeling?” Dick blinked slightly. But his eyes were still glassy and unfocused. 

“Bro?” Jason asked tentatively. Dick squinted in pain. 

Dick reached up and hit Jason lightly on the chest. Over and over again Dick pounded against Jason, but he was so weak that Jason barely felt it. Tears welled up in Dick’s eyes. Jason easily caught Dick by the wrist, stopping his useless attacks. 

“Hey. None of that. Okay?” Dick shook his head. 

“Gotta…” Dick’s voice was barely a hoarse whisper. “Kill?”

“You’re not killing anyone Dick.” Dick starred up at him, confused. 

“But…”

“I know. Cobb’s still got your head all messed up.” Dick nodded slightly and tried to punch Jason again, but Jason held firm. They sat like that for a moment, Dick fighting uselessly, but inevitably his strength failed him again and his eyes began to flutter shut.

“M’sorry.” mumbled Dick. Jason tried to give an encouraging smile. 

“It’s okay. You just rest.” Dick nodded slightly and let his eyes flutter shut. Jason sighed. Jason brushed the damp hair out of Dick’s face, absentmindedly. 

“It’s gonna be okay. Just hold on.” Jason muttered. 

“Red Hoood!” Jason froze. Cobb’s voice echoed through the building. Instinctively, Jason crouched down lower. 

“I know Nightwing is with you.” cooed Cobb. “Come out now and we’ll let you go. We just want him.” Jason ground his teeth in anger at the mere thought that in any world he’d betray Dick. Cobb sighed deeply. The sound was getting louder. Cobb was getting close. 

“I really didn’t want to have to do this.” Jason could almost see Cobb shaking his head in mock disappointment. “But you leave me no option.” 

A scream ripped through the air. Jason’s face paled.  _ Damian _ . He’d recognize the brat’s voice anywhere. 

“Oh dear. That sounded like that hurt. We found this little bird skulking around. Should we pull out his feathers? Red Hood, you have the count of five to show yourself,  _ with  _ Nightwing. Or I shoot Robin in the head.” 

“Stay away Hood!” shouted Domain, but his voice cracked slightly. The harsh crack of a slap filled the air and Robin fell silent.

“One.” drawled Cobb.

“Two.” Jason glanced down at Dick then to the door. Fear and indecision paralyzed him. 

“Three.” Damian screamed again. 

Jason swore. Dick would never forgive him if he let the demon die. Jason wasn’t sure he’d forgive himself for that matter. Jason gathered Dick up in his arms and raced to the door. He flung it open and staggered out. Cobb was in the hallway. His back turned to Jason. Behind him were five men circled around Damian; who had been forced to his knees.His head hung limply against his raggedly breathing chest. One of the men had Damian’s arm twisted back harshly. Jason guessed it was broken. Jason cursed under his breath. Still, Jason didn’t see Tim. Jason wasn’t sure if that meant he’d gotten away or if he was dead somewhere. Jason took a steadying breath. 

“Cobb!” shouted Jason. Cobb turned dramatically, a sickly grin on his face. Damian’s head whipped around. Pure panic raced through Damian’s face. He started fighting against his captors, his pain momentarily forgotten.

“You idiot!” shouted Damian. “I’m  _ fine! _ Get out of here!” Cobb rolled his eyes slightly and gestured to his men. One of them nodded and pulled out a gun, pressing it firmly against the back of Damian’s head. Damian shut his mouth quickly. Cobb turned back to Jason. 

“There he is!” Cobb smiled. “You know, I’ve got to say. You’re much more predictable now that you’ve run back to the bats.” Cobb shrugged slightly. “I guess good will always be weak.”

Jason nervously shifted his hold on Dick. 

“I thought I told you to watch each other’s back.” Jason shouted to Damian. Damian gave a small huff. 

“I watched his back. Don’t worry.” Jason suppressed a small grin. So Tim had gotten away. He’d get Batman. They’d be here soon. All Jason had to do was stall. 

“Now. Be a friend and give me Nightwing.” Jason felt his grip on Dick tighten. 

“I-” Jason started. But he couldn’t seem to find his voice; he’d lost it somewhere between the desperate look from Damian and Dick’s heavy breath against his neck. Jason cleared his throat and forced his face into the deepest snark he could muster. 

“What’s in it for me, Cobb.”

Cobb frowned and the man holding the gun to Damian’s head cocked it. 

“I won’t ask twice.” growled Cobb. Jason rolled his eyes. 

“Shoot him. I still want to know what I’ll get out of this.” Cobb’s smirk twitched. 

“Don’t you  _ dare  _ Hood.” hissed Damian. 

“I knew you hadn’t changed.” Cobb chuckled. Jason shrugged, trying to ignore Damian’s burning anger.

“I mean hey. Bat’s is gonna lose two Robin’s today. He’s going to blame someone. It’s always me anyways. Might as well get something out of it this time.” Cobb nodded thoughtfully. 

“500,000? How does that sound.” Jason forced himself to laugh. 

“You do realize I’ll be outrunning  _ Batman _ . For starters, I’ll need a new identity. A good one.” 

“That can be arranged.” 

“And you’re not going to stick me with some lame name either. I want something cool.” Cobb rolled his eyes. 

“Yes yes. Alright. We can hammer out the details  _ after  _ you give me Nightwing.” 

“Oh I’ll give him to you in just a moment. I just have a few more requests.” Cobb huffed. 

“You traitor Red!” shouted Damian. Jason spared a glance. Damian never called him Red. Tim was Red. Jason was Hood. Jason’s eyes found Damian’s as Damian nervously looked up. Jason followed Damian’s gaze. They were standing under a large skylight. 

A deep shadow flickered momentary across Jason’s vision. There, in the corner of his eye, Jason spotted the flicker of a cape. Hope sprung deeper in his chest. He breathed deeply. Jason knew what was going to happen moments before the room erupted into chaos. And he smiled. A series of smoke bombs crashed through skylight, immediately enveloping the room in thick smoke. Jason heard erratic gun fire, making Jason duck down. There was a pained scream as Jason heard Damian shout some in Arabic. Jason let out a sigh of relief. He was alive, then. Cobb stumbled forward through the fog and locked eyes on Jason. Cobb raised a taloned hand. Jason stumbled back. Before Cobb could make a single move, Batman crashed in from the ceiling, landing squarely in front of Jason. Batman glanced over his shoulder at Jason. Jason saw him stiffed at the sight of Dick draped over Jason’s back. 

“Go. Now. I’ll handle Cobb.” said Batman, his voice tight with anger. Jason didn’t need telling twice. He shifted Dick’s weight slightly and set off at a sprint. Jason wasn’t sure where he was going; he just knew every nerve was screaming at him to get away. 

Jason nearly jumped out of his skin when a shape glided through the smoke and landed next to him. Jason’s heart calmed slightly when he recognized the small shape as Damian. Damian gave him a hard frown. 

“Yes. Yes. We’ll talk about it later.” growled Jason. Damian looked like he was about to argue, but Dick gave a pained cough, the smoke getting to him. 

“This way.” huffed Damian, turning slightly and racing down another corridor. There was a door at the far end and Damian threw it open. It emptied out to a pinched alleyway. Crammed in between the dumpsters was The Batmobile. Jason could have cried in relief. The backdoor opened and Tim’s worried face poked out. 

“Hurry up you two.” Jason raced forward. 

“You had me worried.” Tim said, helping Jason ease Dick off his shoulders and into the Batmobile. 

Jason chuckled darkly. “I had myself worried.” 

They deposit Dick on the soft leather of the backseat. Tim slips under him, so Dick’s head is in Tim’s lap. Damian followed them into the car and shut the door. Absentmindedly, Jason flicked the locks on the Batmobile. He knows it probably wouldn’t stop Cobb if he wanted in the car. But it still made him feel the tiniest bit safer. And he’d take anything right now. Jason let himself fall heavily to the floor; the adrenaline that’s been pumping through him for a week straight drained away. Damian firmly planted himself in front of Dick and took his shaking hand in his. Damian stared deeply at Dick’s slack face and squeezed his hand tighter. 

“Do not worry Dick.” Damian whispered. “We will not let anyone else hurt you.” Tim muttered his agreement and began stroking Dick’s greasy sweaty hair out of his face. There was no more space up by Dick. So Jason settled at Dick’s feet and held on to his ankles. He just heeded to touch him. To make sure he’s really there. That he’s safe with them. That it wasn’t a dream. 

The door to the Batmobile flew open. The entirety of the car, save Dick, jumped in surprise. But it was just Batman slipping into the driver’s seat. He looked no worse for wear, besides some smearing of blood on his gloves. 

“How is he?” Bruce asked. 

“Breathing.” said Tim. 

“Cobb?” asked Jason. Bruce frowned. 

“Got away.” Jason could feel his blood boil. He opened his mouth to say something about how they should go after Cobb and rip him limb from limb. But Dick made a small pained noise and Jason’s voice died in his throat. Jason signed. Revenge would have to wait; Dick still needed them.

“We need to get him to the Batcave.” said Jason. Bruce nodded, turning the car on. 

“Alright. Let’s go home.”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments always appreciated! I love hearing from you!


End file.
